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Monday, 16 December 2013

Are Parasites more Dangerous to Kittens or Adult Cats? *

Parasites that affect your beloved family pet (such as worms, fleas or ticks) will be a huge nuisance to them, and if not caught and treated early, can make them really sick. They can also be harmful to other members of your family, such as young children that have a love for putting things in their mouth, or who haven’t quite learnt the importance of washing their hands a lot yet. Depending on the age of your cat, you may need to take different necessary precautions to protect them from contracting parasites and infections. Kittens and parasitesIntestinal parasites – such as worms – can be extremely harmful to young pets, such as kittens. This is mainly due to the fact that they require a lot more nutrients than older cats, which they cannot receive if their intestines are inflamed. They will also have a weaker immune system, so will not be able to fight the infection as effectively and quickly. If one kitten in a litter is infected with worms, it’s extremely likely that they will pass it on to the others. It’s vital to take your young kitten to the vet regularly during the first year of their life, so that they can establish any problems early on, and deal with them effectively. Also, it’s important as it may be difficult to spot any health issues in a young kitten yourself, whereas a vet will be able to conduct investigations to identify them for you. They will be able to work with you to find a suitable preventative treatment, ideal for the kitten’s age, too. Additionally, this is especially a good idea if you’ve never had a cat before.

Adult cats and parasitesAdult cats are much more resistant than kittens to intestinal parasites, though it is worth noting this is only usually so if they are healthy and well looked after. Adult cats are more likely to have a stronger and more efficient cleaning routine rather than younger ones, and are therefore more likely to prevent them or get rid of them on their own in the first place, if the problem is not severe. However, if their living conditions are seriously contaminated with germs and parasites, they too can become very ill. Fighting illness before it occurs is often regarded as your best defence against worms. By arming your cat from infection by giving it Drontal cat tablets from sites like Vet Medic, the likelihood of them becoming ill will be reduced dramatically.

It’s also important that you take your adult cat to the vet regularly, as they are known for ‘putting on a brave face’ and suffering in silence when affected by worms. You may not even notice a problem as the cat’s behaviour may not change very much, or may do so very gradually. Therefore a vet is more likely to be able to spot that something is wrong more quickly than you can, no matter how much loving attention you give them.